Amelia Benavides-Colón stories
Support for the removal of Allegheny County Council President Pat Catena grows
A growing number of Allegheny County Council members are calling for the council’s president Pat Catena to resign his position and suspend his state House campaign following a campaign mailer that targeted at transgender athletes. In a Wednesday press release, council members Jordan Botta and Dan Grzybek joined council members...
Manufacturing campus near Pittsburgh International Airport enters next development phase
Dozens of manufacturing leaders gathered Wednesday near Pittsburgh International Airport to break ground on a second industrial complex, advancing plans for a 195-acre manufacturing hub known as Neighborhood 91 that is designed to capitalize on the site’s proximity to an international airport. “This campus is the first of its kind...
Allegheny County Council attempts to remove president for campaign mailer targeting transgender athletes
More than three dozen community advocates attended Tuesday evening’s Allegheny County Council meeting to demand the council’s president, Patrick Catena, step down after his campaign for state House sent a mailer last week targeted at transgender athletes. The mailer, which drew harsh backlash from LGBTQ+ advocates, repeatedly refers to Catena’s...
Allegheny County Council approves new regulations for Clairton Coke Works
The Allegheny County Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to drastically decrease the allowable amount of emissions from the Clairton Coke Works plant, one of the final reforms agreed to following the 2018 plant explosion that triggered an air quality lawsuit. The revisions, recommended by the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD),...
Churchill approves new zoning for Westinghouse site
Churchill Council on Monday approved new zoning regulations that will clear the way for the transformation of the former George Westinghouse Research and Technology Park. The proposal, which established definitions and regulations for data centers, vape shops and tattoo parlors, garnered the community’s attention earlier this month, with nearly 50...
PennDOT to host virtual meeting on Parkway East bridge project
PennDOT will unveil details behind this summer’s closure of Parkway East for the installation of the new Commercial Street Bridge during a virtual meeting this week. The highway is scheduled to be closed for 26 days, between the Edgewood-Swissvale and Squirrel Hill exits, beginning July 10. PennDOT has opted to...
Advocates call for Pat Catena to be removed as Allegheny County Council president
A coalition of LGBTQ+ advocates is preparing to attend Tuesday’s Allegheny County Council meeting to protest a campaign flyer distributed by Council President Pat Catena’s state House campaign that targeted a group supporting transgender athletes. The mailer repeatedly refers to Catena’s opponent in next week’s primary election, Brittany Bloam, as...
McCormick defends Homer City data center project amid environmental concerns
U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick said Thursday that the rise of environmentalists protesting the addition of data centers in communities “reminds me a little bit of fracking 15 years ago.” McCormick met in Pittsburgh with officials from Homer City Redevelopment and Indiana County where construction has begun on a natural gas...
Allegheny County families can receive $125 for child education savings
Allegheny County families can redeem an additional bonus when enrolling in the Pennsylvania Treasury Department’s childhood education investment accounts. Pittsburgh-based nonprofit organization Neighborhood Allies is partnering with the state to provide $25 scholarships to new enrollees in the state’s Fund My Future PGH program. The $25 bonus available to Allegheny...
Churchill residents voice concerns with proposed development at former Westinghouse site
More than three dozen Churchill community members attended a public hearing Monday on the proposal for a sweeping mixed-use development at the former Westinghouse Research & Technology Park. While nearly 45 members attended in person and online, only a handful spoke before Churchill Borough Council on Monday evening. Community members,...
Term limits gain traction in Allegheny County
Support for imposing term limits on Allegheny County officials has become a bipartisan issue, despite concerns from some experts that the move could weaken accountability. “Term limits are not a partisan issue,” said Lisa Buckiso, chair of the West Jefferson Hills Republican Committee. “I think it’s a good thing.” The...
Public hearing set for new development on Westinghouse site in Churchill
Churchill officials will host a public hearing Monday for a set of zoning amendments that would pave the way for a walkable mixed-use development complex at the site of the former Westinghouse Research and Technology Park. The development project by Commonwealth Commercial Real Estate, dubbed Legacy Crossing, was first presented...
Allegheny County launches plan to expand childcare programs
Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato on Wednesday announced a new initiative that aims to create 5,000 childcare and after-school seats across the county over the next five years. “This isn’t just about creating more spots for childcare, it’s about building a stronger, more resilient system that supports providers and one...
Allegheny County develops EMS grant proposal as providers sound alarm
Allegheny County Council unanimously voted Tuesday to advance a grant program to help struggling emergency medical providers pay for equipment repairs and upgrades. The proposal, introduced by Councilwoman Suzanne Filiaggi, would allow the 32 members of the County EMS Council to apply for grants of about $30,000 for emergency equipment...
Allegheny County Council condemns multistate power grid operator for slow approval process
Allegheny County Council issued a letter to PJM Interconnection on Tuesday criticizing the multistate power grid manager for failing to upgrade its approval process after it received a federal citation. PJM, the power grid operator that manages Pennsylvania’s electricity grid along with a dozen other states, was cited by federal...
Former Pa. governors call on state leaders to make Shapiro’s security a priority
In the wake of a third assassination attempt on President Donald Trump on Saturday, all five of Pennsylvania’s living former governors called on state leaders to make the safety and security of Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family a top priority. “Combating political violence and keeping our elected officials safe...
Pittsburgh, state leaders use NFL Draft to woo investors, promote region
A delegation of investors and business leaders got a glimpse of Western Pennsylvania’s development potential ahead of the NFL Draft on Wednesday as local officials used the NFL backdrop to pitch the region’s potential. “We knew we wanted to showcase Pittsburgh to folks who make decisions about where companies expand...
Fans wait out heat for close-up stage view of NFL Draft picks
Fans chasing the best view of the NFL Draft stage on the North Shore baked on open concrete — settling in for an eight-hour wait in the heat Thursday. Still, many claimed a spot and did their best to get comfortable after the NFL Draft Experience gates opened at noon....
First-time visitors land in Pittsburgh for NFL Draft and reunions
Bostonian Ryan MacKenzie stepped off his 8 a.m. flight into Pittsburgh International Airport on Wednesday in a New England Patriots hoodie — among the thousands of fans descending on the city for the long-anticipated NFL Draft. The Pats gear might not make him any friends in Pittsburgh, but MacKenzie’s trip...
Pittsburgh restaurants prepare for NFL Draft surge as closures raise concerns
With hundreds of thousands of football fans expected in town, restaurants near the NFL Draft footprint in Pittsburgh say they’re anticipating large crowds — but worry that widespread road closures could make it difficult for employees to get to work. “We are used to volume, whether it’s football or opening...
